Programme Digitalization Transformation Advisor Social Protection, Rome

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS2 July 2026-23:59-GMT+01:00 Central European Time (Rome)

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ABOUT WFP

The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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WHY JOIN WFP?

• WFP is a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

• WFP offers a highly inclusive, diverse, and multicultural working environment.

• WFP invests in the personal & professional development of its employees through a range of training, accreditation, coaching, mentorship, and other programs as well as through internal mobility opportunities.

• A career path in WFP provides an exciting opportunity to work across the various country, regional and global offices around the world, and with passionate colleagues who work tirelessly to ensure that effective humanitarian assistance reaches millions of people across the globe.

• We offer an attractive compensation package (please refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this vacancy announcement).

  POSITION TITLE : Programme Digitalization Transformation Advisor for social protection

  LEVEL : CST II PRGS

  ORG UNIT: Social Protection (Home-based)

  DURATION: 11 months

  BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT: The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. As part of the Global Headquarters, PRGS and ESARO provide strategic guidance, technical support and direction to WFP country operations across selected country offices. In recent years, WFP has seen an increased demand to play a role in strengthening digital systems across the region. Governments in several countries are making significant investments in digitization and development of social registries and have been actively requesting technical support from WFP The momentum for extending the coverage, comprehensiveness, adequacy and quality of social protection systems has continued to build in the face of COVID-19 and ongoing global economic shocks. In view of the increased digital/systems transformation requests for support from governments, and in line with the corporate CCI Initiative (8.1 Government and partner digital empowerment), Country Offices have been reaching out to GHQ/ESARO and request support to enhance the quality of engagement in national and subnational social protection dialogues, delivery system infrastructure strengthening, and direct cash-based assistance working through and in complement to national systems.

  MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: To deliver against the above, PRGS – Social protection is seeking an experienced social protection digitization advisor to provide the required support. Under the overall direction and guidance of the GHQ Digital Social Protection Advisor, and in close collaboration with, ESARO, TEC, Program division units, Global Privacy Office (GPO) and relevant government and donor stakeholders, the Digitalization Advisor will have the following key responsibilities: Programme Digitalization Advisor

  1. Lead in the mapping and assessment of government and/or humanitarian ecosystems across the region in coordination with country offices, ensuring that findings inform CCI, country level CSPs and regional strategies and provide context specific strategic guidance on the efforts required to strengthen WFP and government-led systems.

  2. As part of WFP GHQ, work with cross-functional, global/country and teams, through social protection to implement the corporate government and partner-led digital empowerment initiatives (including the CCI #8 Government and partner digital empowerment (social protection)

  3. This includes gathering functional requirements, designing technical architectures, and deploying and operationalizing community-backed open-source MIS solutions—such as identity management, integrated beneficiary registries, and shock-responsive dynamic systems—while ensuring integration and real-time interoperability with related government agencies and data sets via secure APIs across national and humanitarian platforms contributing to digital public infrastructure through leveraging community open-source.

  4. Strengthen resilience and sustainability of social protection systems by integrating climate hazard data and leveraging AI-driven analytics to enhance predictive capabilities and shock responsiveness. Support the operationalization and scaling of social protection MIS’ including platforms, systems, and data management and migration where needed.

  5. Contribute to the compilation, development and piloting of corporate normative guidance and toolbox related to the WFP DASS (2.0) initiative on the digital assessment and assistance support to government through frameworks and/or tools, to inform and support the use of digital solutions and innovations in achieving programmatic objectives at various lifecycle stages.

  6. Proactively support COs to develop their strategic positioning and value offer to governments in social protection and school feeding digitalization articulating where WFP can support activities that are fit for the local context in line with the Country Strategic Plans.

  7. Provide expertise in the development of technical assessments, studies and policy briefs, concept notes on social protection and school feeding digitalization, ensuring outputs are integrated into CO CSPs and operational plans.

  8. Lead the internal cross-functional coordination on social protection and school feeding digitalization and ensure alignment between IDM, TEC and Social Protection business units at the regional level and in close coordination and under the supervision of Global HQ/PRGS levels for effective support to CO teams in line with corporate guidance.

  9. Lead the improvement of programme digitalization knowledge management globally and across the region and improve knowledge sharing between COs by facilitating community of practice sessions and developing appropriate publications.

  10. Provide technical and project management support to COs in implementing government social Protection and school feeding programmes and MIS systems, including the development of national social protection / school feeding digitization strategy and institutionalization, ensuring a coordinated approach with wider programmes that complies with WFP and government standards and procedures.

  11. Support COs translate policy and programme needs and operationalize into technical specifications and deployment of digital systems, including the social protection value chain alignment with registry structures, data workflows, deduplication logic, APIs, and dashboards.

  12. Support the capacity building of WFP staff, partners and national government to prepare for and respond to programmatic needs, e.g. through providing inputs into training materials. 13. Other duties as assigned

  SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Education and Experience: University degree in Statistics, Economics, Business or Computer Science. o At least 10 years, of which three international, related postgraduate progressively responsible professional experience in IT/technology in a functional or technical capacity and/or data management and/or analytics. o At least 3 years of professional experience in social protection (Registries and/or data) related IT/technology and/or data management. o Experience working with government on technological solutions is an asset as well as experience of working in a WFP regional and/or country office with exposure to Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Sudan, or Malawi. Technical Skills & Knowledge: o Knowledge of issues related to international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance; o Knowledge and understanding of UN’s role in humanitarian and development cooperation; o Good understanding of UN or WFP policies and programming requirements; o Very solid understanding and hands on experience in design, architecture, deployment and configuration of digital and data related development life cycles in social sectors Competencies: o Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective work relationships with counterparts and staff within the office, host population, donors, NGOs and other UN agencies;

  -Excellent analytical skills and planning skills.

  -Strong capacity for learning, research and innovation.

  -Ability to synthesize analysis into operational and strategic direction.

  -Capacity to foster strong and sustainable cross-agency collaboration. -Proactive, solution-focused and client-oriented.

  -Good leadership and interpersonal skills.

  -Excellent communication skills in both written and spoken English. Proficiency in French is advantageous.

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  REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

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  • Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

    All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

    
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